Computer printout paper package

ABSTRACT

A technique of packaging a web of computer printout paper to facilitate loading the paper in a carrier or support tray and connecting the trailing edge of the web to the leading edge of a succeeding web carried in another tray. The package includes a box which contains the paper web, folded in a zigzag configuration. The box has a cover which, when removed, exposes an end of the pack, the web being folded so that at least the free, trailing end of the web will be exposed when the cover is removed. The exposed trailing end then may be pulled to withdraw a length of the web and the entire package, including the box, may be laid down on the tray. The box then is pulled free to transfer the folded web to the tray and the withdrawn trailing length of the web then may be attached to the leading end of the succeeding web.

mam States Patent [72] Inventors Raymond V. Gendron Hudson; Albert F. Baldi, Nashua, both of N.H. [21 1 App]. No. 866,511 [22] Filed Oct. 15, 1969 [45] Patented Jan. 4, 1972 [73] Assignee Nashua Corporation Nashua, N.H.

[54] COMPUTER PRINTOUT PAPER PACKAGE 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 206/57 R, 270/39, 281/5 [5|] lnt. Cl B4ll1/32, B65h 75/00 [50] Field of Search 206/56 AB, 56 AC, 57; 281/5; 270/39; 282/1 1.5 A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,678 12/1934 Hand 281/5 2,446,400 8/1948 Woolley 281/5 3,048,425 8/1962 Fleischmann 206/57 3,285,405 1 1/1966 Wanderer 206/56 AB Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Attorneys-Kenway, Jenney & Hildreth, Townsend M. Gunn and John A. Lahive, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A technique of packaging a web of computer printout paper to facilitate loading the paper in a carrier or support tray and connecting the trailing edge of the web to the leading edge of a succeeding web carried in another tray. The package includes a box which contains the paper web, folded in a zigzag configuration. The box has a cover which, when removed, exposes an end of the pack, the web being folded so that at least the free, trailing end of the web will be exposed when the cover is removed. The exposed trailing end then may be pulled to withdraw a length of the web and the entire package, including the box, may be laid down on the tray. The box then is pulled free to transfer the folded web to the tray and the withdrawn trailing length of the web then may be attached to the leading end of the succeeding web.

PATENTED JAN 41972 I 3 531 97 FIG.| A

' INVENTORS RAYMOND v. GENDRON M ALBERT F. BALDI BY I KW7) ATTORNEYS COMPUTER PRINTOUT PAPER PACKAGE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The increasing use of computers and computer techniques has required the use of large volumes of computer readout or printout paper. Because of the impracticability of handling massive, continuous webs of readout paper it has become common practice to provide smaller, more compact bundles or packs of paper. Each pack is supported, individually, by a tray and a number of such trays are arranged in proximity to each other in an array. The trailing end of each web is connected to the leading end of the succeeding web which is carried in the following tray of the array. After practically all of one of the webs has been drawn into the computer printer, the trailing end of that web, which is connected to the leading end of the next web in the array, draws the leading end of the next web to present a continuous web to the printer. After one of the trays has been emptied, it may be reloaded with a fresh pack of computer paper and, in accordance with the invention, the leading end of the freshly loaded pack may be connected to the trailing end of the last pack in'the array. It is therefore possible to provide, for all practical purposes an endless, continuous web which may be drawn continually into and through the computer printing equipment.

The trays, generally, employ a smooth bed and an upstanding end plate so that the pack of paper may be urged into the comer therebetween. Each pack is placed in the tray so that the trailing portion of the web is on the bottom to enable the leading end of the web to be unfolded and withdrawn continually form the top of the pack to the computers paper requirements. It will be appreciated that when loading the pack in this manner on the tray, the trailing end of the web normally is disposed in the corner and is difiicult to reach, because of the relatively poor access to the trailing end of the web, the pack must be shifted and manipulated to enable the trailing end to be gripped and pulled out over the plate after the pack has been placed on the tray. This sometimes results in tearing of the web and, in general, is a somewhat cumbersome procedure. It is among the primary and general objects of my invention to provide a technique for packaging the zigzag web which simplifies the manipulation of the pack when loading it into its tray and when pulling out its trailing end for attachment to the leading end of the next succeeding pack.

In accordance with the invention, the web is packaged, in its zig-zag configuration, in a box which is constructed so that when its cover is removed, the folded edges of one side of the pack protrude outwardly from the opening of the box. The web is folded so that when the cover is removed, at least the trailing end of the web is exposed and protrudes freely out of the box. Before the pack is removed from the box and placed in the tray, the free, trailing end is pulled out to unfold and draw a length of the web from the pack. The length withdrawn should be sufficient to enable the trailing end of the web to be draped over the upstanding end plate after the pack has been placed in the tray so that the trailing end may be connected to the leading end of the next succeeding pack. After the trailing end is withdrawn to the desired length, the pack may be transferred from the box to the tray with a minimum of manipulative steps simply by carrying the box to the tray and dumping the pack from the box onto the bed of the tray and against the upstanding end plate. It is preferably, before dumping the pack, to fold the withdrawn length of the web over the exposed end of the pack so that, when dumping the pack, the pulled out, trailing end is not bunched into the corner. After the pack has been dumped onto the tray, the pulled out, trailing end may be draped freely over the plate and attached to.

the next pack. The package described herein thus facilitates withdrawal of the trailing end before the pack is located into the tray and eliminates cumbersome manipulation heretofore required in withdrawing and connecting the trailing end of the pack to the leading end of the next succeeding pack.

The object and advantages of my invention now will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a somewhat schematic illustration of a computer printer in which the invention is employed to provide continuous feeding of an endless web of paper;

FIG 2 is an illustration, in section of the packaging technique in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the package with the trailing end withdrawn and folded over the exposed end of the pack. As shown, somewhat schematically, in FIG I, a computer printer, indicated generally by the reference character 10 is provided with a paper-feeding mechanism, indicated generally by the rollers 12 which may be driven by conventional means to advance the paper web through the computer and past a printing station, indicated generally by the reference character 14. In order to operate the computer printer under conditions of maximum efficiency it is necessary to provide a continuous paper web 16 so that the computer need not be shutdown to reload the printout paper. As described above, one method of supplying the continuous web 16 is to provide separate packs 18 of printout paper and to carry each such pack in a tray 20. A number of such trays may be provided in an array as shown. Each distinct pack 18 has a leading end 22 and a trailing end 24, the trailing end 24 being connected as by tape 26, to the leading end 22 of the next succeeding pack 18 in the following tray 20 to present, effectively, an endless web to enable con tinuous operation of the computer.

Each of the trays 20 has a bed 38 on which the pack I8 is supported. An upstanding end plate 40 or other surface is provided against which the folded edges 42 of the pack may bear so that when the pack is loaded properly in the tray, it may nest in the comer 44 defined between the bed 38 and the upstanding end plate 40.

The packs 18 are loaded onto the trays 20 with the leading end 22 on top and the trailing end 24 on the bottom. The free, trailing end 24, which is on the bottom of the pack, is withdrawn upwardly and over the top edge of the end plate 40 and is taped or otherwise connected to the leading end 22 of the next pack, which is at the top of that next pack. As the printed roll continually draws the web of paper, the first tray 20a will be emptied and the paper will begin to be drawn from the next tray 20b. During this time the emptied tray 28 may be refilled with a fresh pack. The leading end of this freshly placed pack may be connected to the trailing end of the web resting in the next tray 20b just before the trailing end of that pack web is draw into the printer.

Because the folded edges 42 of each pack 18 are disposed snugly in the comer 44 of its supporting tray 20, the trailing end 24 of the web which is to be connected to the next pack 18 is not readily accessible and the pack must be shifted about and manipulated in order to enable the trailing end to be gripped and pulled out from beneath the pack and over the top of the end plate 40. Such manipulation of the pack, after it has been loaded onto the tray, may be avoided by employing a packaging technique for the serpentine web as shown in FIG.

The package includes a box 48 dimensioned to receive the serpentine-folded web. The web is folded, in a zig-zag configuration to define a plurality of contiguous panels or sheets 41 of substantially equal length, connected to each other at common folds 42. Thus, the folded pack has a pair of opposed edges 45,47 which are defined by the registered common folds 42. In the preferred embodiment shown, the pack is disposed in the box so that one of its edges 45 and its free, leading and trailing ends 22,24 protrude outwardly from the box when the cover 50 is removed. The other edge 47 of the pack is disposed in the bottom of the box 48. Although, as shown, both free ends 22,24 of the web may be exposed, it only is necessary that the trailing end 24 be exposed when the box is opened. It should be noted that in some applications, when the printout paper is of a photosensitive nature, it may be prepackaged in an opaque bag 52, such as black polyethylene, and the bag 52 containing the web 18 may be inserted into the box. In this instance, the bag 52 must be opened after the cover 50 of the box is removed in orderto expose the folded edges 42 of the pack I8 and the free, trailing end 24 of the web. Additionally, a filler blank 54 may be inserted into the box to rigidify the folded web within the box.

Because the pack 18 is retained within the box so that the trailing end 24 is free exposed after the box 48 (and a lightproof proof bag, if present) are open, the trailing end 24 may be gripped and pulled to withdraw a length 56 of the trailing portion of the web from the box. The withdrawn, trailing portion preferably is then folded over the exposed folded, edges 42 of the pack, as shown in FIG. 3, and the pack then may be dumped from the box 48 directly into the comer 44 of the tray 20. The withdrawn segment 56 of the web 18 then may be draped over the top of the end plate 40 in readiness for connection to the leading end 22 of the next succeeding pack 18. This technique eliminates the need for shifting or manipulating the pack after it has been placed on the tray to grip and withdraw the trailing segment 56 of the web. This reduces the likelihood of tearing the web and simplifies the loading of the tray.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is intended merely to be illustrative of my invention and that other embodiments and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A package of computer printout paper comprising a folded stack of sheets which form a continuous web of paper having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the fold lines lying at opposite inner and outer sides of said stack and the leading and trailing edges being adjacent to the outer side of said stack, a box having an open top and a cover having an open bottom packaging said stack, with said box housing that portion of the stack adjacent the inner side and said cover housing the remainder of said stack adjacent the outer side such that removal of the cover leaves the leading and trailing edges and that portion of the stack adjacent the outer side projecting from the web box. 

1. A package of computer printout paper comprising a folded stack of sheets which form a continuous web of paper having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the fold lines lying at opposite inner and outer sides of said stack and the leading and trailing edges being adjacent to the outer side of said stack, a box having an open top and a cover having an open bottom packaging said stack, with said box housing that portion of the stack adjacent the inner side and said cover housing the remainder of said stack adjacent the outer side such thaT removal of the cover leaves the leading and trailing edges and that portion of the stack adjacent the outer side projecting from the web box. 